Hanger



June 14, 1966 F. D. BUZZELLI HANGER Filed Nov. 8, 1963 FIG.2

FIG-4 FIG'5 INVENTOR.

FRANK D. BUZZELL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,255,939 HANGER Frank D. Buzzelli, 22055 W. Brandon, Farmington, Mich. Filed Nov. 8, 1963, Ser. N0. 322,310 2 Claims. (Cl. 223-95) This invention relates to clothing hangers and more particularly has reference to a hanger for pants of elastic material.

Stretch-pants or Ski-pants, a form of winter garment commonly worn by skiers, comprises pants fabricated in a substantially conventional configuration but is composed of elastic material adapted to fit tightly about the body of the wearer. As a result, the pants tend to form wrinkles and creases at points, such as at the knees, where constant movement of the wearers body causes excessive stretching of the pant material.

When stretch-pants are hung on a conventional hanger, that is, folded in half over a horizontal support, the hanger causes a further localized stretching of the elastic material adjacent to the horizontal support. Since the knee portions of the pants are usually the sections immediately adjacent to the hanger, further wrinkling and excessive stretching of the pants at the knees is the result.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a hanger for pants of elastic material which provides uniform stretching of the pant material.

Stretch-pants are normally, provided with a strap or loop at the lower end of each pant leg. These straps fit laterally about the soles and insteps of the wearers feet. The straps thus extend and lie in a common plane which also passes through both pant legs.

In several preferred embodiments of the present invention which will be subsequently described in great detail, a hanger is provided having an upper arcuate portion similar to the upper portion of a conventional hanger, adapted to fit over the cylindrical hanger support rod in closets and-the like, and a lower portion comprising two horizontally extending supports.

The supports are adapted to receive and support the instep straps at the ends of the pant legs so that the pants hang vertically downward therefrom. The pants are thus uniformly stretched throughout their length, eliminating wrinkles or excessive localized stretching of the pant material.

The present hanger is simple in design, easy to fabricate, and low in cost.

Other objects and advantages will be more readily apparent from the following detailed descriptions of preferred embodiments of the invention. The description makes reference to the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of my invention with ski-pants hanging therefrom;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURES 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the invention. A conventional curved or hook section 10, adapted to fit over the cylindrical hanger support bar in closets and the like, is fixed to a horizontal rod 12.

At its rearward end the rod 12 is fixed to the upper end of a vertical post 14 which is in turn fixed, at its lower N end, to the midsection of a horizontal spreader bar 16. A horizontal elongated support 18 is fixed at each end 3,255,939 Patented June 14, 1966 of the spreader bar 16. A block 20 is fixed on the upper surface of the free end of each support 18.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the stretch-pants are hung on the present hanger by looping the straps 22 which are fastened at the lower end of the pant legs 24, over the blocks 20 on to the supports 18. The blocks 20 prevent the pants from accidentally slipping off of the free ends of the supports. The pants are allowed to hang freely downward so that the elastic material is uniformly stretched throughout its length.

The curved or hook section 10 is disposed such that when the hanger is hung on a conventional hanger support bar, the axis of the bar is situated in the same vertical plane as the straps 22 below. This prevents the pants from causing rotation of the hanger about the bar.

FIGURES 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the invention wherein the conventional curved or hook section 10 is fixed at its lower end to radially extending horizontal supports 18 The straps 22 of the pant legs 24 are hung on the supports 18 as previously described and as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention similar to the embodiment of FIGURES 3 and 4 but having curved horizontal supports 18 The free ends of the supports curve upward so as to reduce the likelihood of the pants accidentally slipping off the ends of the supports 18 In FIGURES 3-5 the hanger is so shaped that the hanger support bar (not shown) is situated in a vertical plane common to both straps 22. This prevents the weight of the pants from inducing rotation of the hanger about the bar. I

The curved or book portion of the hanger of the present invention may be constructed of metal wire similar to that employed in conventional wire hangers. The lower portion of the hanger may also be constructed of wire material or alternatively may be fabricated. to wood, metal or other inexpensive but relatively sturdy material.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A hanger for pants of an elastic material, which pants include an instep strap across the lower open end of each pant leg, comprising:

(a) a horizontal rod;

(b) curved hook means having a depending shank fixed to said rod and adapted to fit over a conventional closet hanger support bar;

(c) a vertical post fixed at its upper end to the end of said horizontal rod;

(d) a horizontal member fixed at its midportion to the lower end of said post;

(e) and a pair of parallel, horizontal, elongated support members disposed equidistantly on opposite sides of said post, each fixed to one end of said last horizontal member, said supportmembers extending in parallel planes on the opposite sides of said vertical post so that a line which intersects the center of said curved hook means bisects the spacing between said support members, the support members extending from said post a sufficient distance so that a vertical line through said shank which intersects the center of the curved hook means falls in a plane which bisects the length of both support members such that the straps of said pants may be each draped over one of said support members and said pants allowed to hang downwardly therefrom.

2. The hanger of claim 1 wherein short projecting members are formed on the upper sides of the extreme ends of the two elongated support members, and are operative to prevent the pant straps from sliding off of the support members.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Koenig 22392 Bagley et a1 22395 X Arenz' 21111 9 X Shanahan 22395 Maschiana 22395 Dick 223 -95 Van Dusen 22396 4- FOREIGN PATENTS 12/1961 Canada.

6/1962 France.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HANGER FOR PANTS OF AN ELASTIC MATERIAL, WHICH PANTS INCLUDE AN INSTEP STRAP ACROSS THE LOWER OPEN END OF EACH PANT LEG, COMPRISING (A) A HORIZONTAL ROD; (B) CURVED HOOK MEANS HAVING A DEPENDING SHANK FIXED TO SAID ROD AND ADAPTED TO FIT OVER A CONVENTIONAL CLOSET HANGER SUPPORT BAR; (C) A VERTICAL POST FIXED AT ITS UPPER END TO THE END OF SAID HORIZONTAL ROD; (D) A HORIZONTAL MEMBER FIXED AT ITS MIDPORTION TO THE LOWER END OF SAID POST; (E) AND A PAIR OF PARALLEL, HORIZONTAL ELONGATED SUPPORT MEMBERS DISPOSED EQUIDISTANTLY ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID POST, EACH FIXED TO ONE END OF SAID LAST HORIZONTAL MEMBER, SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS EXTENDING IN PARALLEL PLANES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID 